Poker is a card game in which players place bets against each other and share cards. The aim is to make a poker hand that ranks higher than the others, and therefore wins the pot. There are many different variants of this game, but the rules and basic strategy are the same throughout.
To start a hand, each player places an ante (a small amount of money) into the center of the table. Then the dealer deals each player 2 cards, face down. These are called your hole cards. You can then choose to fold, call, or raise. When you say raise, you are betting more money than the previous player. If you think your cards are strong, it is best to raise as this will force weak hands to call your bet.
After the pre-flop betting phase, 3 more cards are dealt face up on the table, these are known as the flop. After this everyone gets a chance to bet again. The flop will usually contain one or more suits, for example a spade. If you have a hand with matching suits, such as three of a kind, this is considered a good hand. However, if the flop contains lots of suits that skip around in rank or are consecutive, it is better to fold.
Once the flop has been seen, the dealer puts another card on the table that anyone can use, this is known as the turn. Now that everyone has a chance to bet again, the dealer will put a fifth and final card on the board that anyone can use, this is called the river. This is the final chance for everyone to bet, and the player with the highest ranked poker hand will win the pot.
You may want to fold if you have a bad poker hand after the flop, it is better to save your chips for later when you have a stronger hand. You may also decide to stay in the hand and try to bluff your way through it, although this is not recommended unless you have a strong bluffing hand.
Once the betting is complete, all the players reveal their hands and the player with the best 5 card poker hand wins the pot. There are sometimes rules in place for how the winnings are shared among the players, but most of the time a single winner takes all the money at the table. Usually this is enough to cover your antes and blinds, plus a little bit extra. However, it is possible to bet more than your total stake and still lose money, so you should always keep this in mind. It is also important to understand the odds of your hand before betting, to be sure you are making the right decision.